Who was he?
by coffeeaddictinlove
Summary: Riley finds some pictures and goes to Willow for answers, she tells him about the man who stole Buffy's heart and never gave it back. ONE-SHOT


Who was he?

Riley Finn was in love. He hadn't planned for it, one rarely does, but this girl had come as a complete surprise to the soldier. Buffy Summers. Buffy. Buff. The Buffster. Whatever name she was called, Riley loved her, all of her and he was the first to admit he was obsessed. He found himself thinking about her constantly. She was under his skin, and in his heart. He felt like this was it. Just one problem, she didn't feel the same way. Riley always knew it, he knew it and was trying to deny it. Sometimes Riley could even fool himself that he and Buffy would have future together. How he missed the early days when he had been oblivious and clueless.

Riley got his first first clue one afternoon. He was alone in Buffy's room, looking for a pencil of all things in her desk, and was failing. _How does she do her homework?_ He had thought. There were a few regions of the desk that were still to be braved. He opened the bottom drawer, thinking it unlikely there would be pencil where she would have to reach – but he was resolute in his mission.

" Gold!"

In the bottom drawer was an ornate box that looked very promising as a pencil box. Riley pulled it out, wondering what he should do if it wasn't. He decided that he and Buffy were in a pretty serious relationship, and if she felt the need to hide things from him that was her problem, besides, there wasn't a lock on the box. Riley opened it. Not a pencil box. There were various miscellaneous objects inside. He was about to close it, but curiosity overcame common sense. There were a few letters and a few trinkets, but he didn't read them, it felt too personal. Riley did however find an envelope at the bottom of the box that was bulky and already open, so he took it out and dumped the contents on the floor. Four things fell out, first was a heavy silver cross, second was a ring with two hands holding a heart topped with a crown, and third, was a sequence of three photos. Stupidly, he picked up the photos with interest. His heart nearly stopped beating. The pictures were of Buffy, and…another man. He was without a doubt the best looking guy Riley'd ever seen and the soldier felt a surge of jealousy. He looked to be taller than Riley, he had dark brown hair, intense dark eyes, and pale skin. In the first picture, Buffy's face was partially obscured but Riley could immediately tell that it was her. The man's hand was touching the side of her face. His hand was so large in covered nearly half her head. As far as Riley could tell, neither subject was aware that they were being photographed because there was an unguarded expression on the man's face that was so private. Riley (the demon killer) suddenly felt like he was a little boy again and had just walked in on his parents having sex. _This is ridiculous_, he thought, he was a grown man, dammit, and he shouldn't feel embarrassed by seeing some pictures that are completely G-rated and are obviously in the past.

Riley looked at the rest of the pictures and found them to be similar. In the last one, Buffy's face was visible, and he felt a rush of jealously when he looked at it, because the way she was looking at him…well she had never looked at him that way. In fact, in the whole time he'd known her, Riley have never seen that level of emotion come from her.

What made this mystery man so special? Things rapidly began to click for Riley. He saw again all the things he'd filed away that as insignificant - they now made so much sense. _You can't just go home at the end of the night and snuggle with your honey. _He'd asked her why not, and she'd said: _Because I tried it. _Was this who she had tried it with? All the weird looks and spontaneous flinches at odd moments added up and made sense. It wasn't good sense but it was sense. _Buffy's on the rebound. Buffy's on the rebound. Buffy's…on the –rebound… _Nope, no matter how many times the soldier said it, it didn't make it better. He needed to understand this better. He needed to know who the man was. Riley thought about going to Giles, but _he's like her dad_. He couldn't ask her dad about her past boyfriend(s). Xander maybe, he's a guy and might understand why Riley needed to know. But, what if he tells Buffy? _What about Willow,_ Riley thought, _I think she likes me_, and she often lets too much slip. Riley decided he was going to go to her.

Riley hurriedly stuffed the contents of the envelope back in the box, making a mental note to look up the meaning of the ring after talking to Willow.

Riley found her sitting under a tree in the courtyard by her and Buffy's dorm. She was wearing a white dress and reading an old book. She looked so happy and at peace when she read. Riley had the feeling his questions were going to disrupt her peace. He felt bad about it, _she doesn't deserve to be the one I pick on for answers_. He felt bad about it, but his curiosity was overcoming his conscience.

" Hey Willow."

Riley approached her, and greeted her as cheerfully as he could.

" Hey Riley! Do ya need somethin'?"

" Actually yeah, I need to ask you some stuff and I really need you to tell me the truth."

" Um, o-okay."

Riley could tell she was nervous, but eager to help.

" And I need you to promise me you won't tell Buffy."

" I don't know Riley, I mean, it has to be bad if you don't want me to tell Buffy anything. I don't like keeping secrets from her, I don't know if I _can_!"

" Willow Please,"

Riley grasped her arms gently and looked into her eyes as intently as he could manage without scaring her,

"This is important."

" O-Okay. I guess…"

" Great!"

The big soldier sat down beside the petite witch, eager to ask her the questions that were burning holes in his brain.

" So what do you want to know?"

" Well, I sorta found these pictures, and I have to know who _he _is."

" He?"

Willow asked. Riley could see a flicker of alarm that passed over her face momentarily. She knew what he was about to ask.

" Yeah, the guy before me, the one she…loved."

Riley didn't actually know she loved him, but after seeing the look in her eyes, he didn't need verbal conformation.

" Pfff- Riley, what _guy_?"

She was trying to be a good friend to Buffy, and deny she knew anything.

" I think you know who I'm talking about."

She looked down. He had broken her.

" Angel."

It was a whisper, one word so quiet Riley almost missed it.

" Did you say _Angel_?"

"Yeah, that was his name."

_What a stupid name _Riley thought_._ She looked away, and he could tell she felt guilty about telling him just the name. Riley began to doubt his ability to get what he wanted out of her- but then he remembered the man's face face. _I kill demons dammit, I should be able to face this. _It never occurred to Riley the "man" might be a demon himself.

" Tell me about him…about…them."

Riley urged her quietly, comfortingly.

" Riley, this is really something you and Buffy should discuss."

" No, she's been hiding it from me. I need to know."

" Well maybe she just wasn't ready, did you ever consider that?"

She was getting angry now.

" Why wouldn't she be ready?"

" Well, her relationship with Angel was a …tense one, and it left her with…some pieces broken. She hasn't even really talked to me about it, why would she even mention it to you? It's not like you guy's have known each other very long!"

Willow was in full rant mode, Riley knew he had to stop her.

" Willow, I saw the pictures, I just _need_ to know, _please._"

She looked into the distance, but he could tell she was looking a lot further than that.

" You have to understand something first Riley, okay?"

" Okay."

Riley agreed, not knowing what he was agreeing to, and not caring,

" This isn't my story to tell, and I don't know most of it. All I can tell you is my observations. You should really talk to Buffy about the rest."

He nodded, knowing he never would unless she told him about it first.

" I've…I've never seen anyone so in love as…as they were. I didn't-didn't know so much love was _possible_. She loved him more than anyone, she would have done anything for him, and she did. I don't think any of my words can help you understand the gravity of their feelings for each other. It was _beyond_ chemistry, _beyond_ physical attraction. You have to _understand_,"

She implored the big man,

" You have to understand that this wasn't a fairytale, it wasn't a fling… She was ready to spend forever with him…"

This is bad, really bad. Riley thought maybe she was in love, but not anything like what Willow was describing.

"She gave him her heart, and when he left- I don't think she got it back. Riley- I'm not saying any of this to make you feel inadequate or-or not good enough, because you _are_ and I could see her being able to love you… I'm saying this because I want you to understand why Buffy hasn't told you. It was a big deal for her, possibly the biggest of her life and it should be okay with you if she's not ready to share it just yet. It doesn't mean she was _betraying _you or-or _lying_ to you, she just wasn't ready."

Riley could tell she was genuinely trying to make him understand something, but all he could hear was: _she was ready to spend forever with him_. He felt like he was choking, like something was pressing on his throat, and on his heart. When he asked her about the man…Angel, he wasn't expecting this. Riley didn't want to hear this!

" Tha-thank you Willow, I have to go-"

He got up hastily, and looked at her just long enough to see the look of uncertainty, and pain on her face. She hadn't meant to hurt him.

" Riley-"

" I'm fine Willow. Thank you…_don't tell Buffy…_"

The last part was a whisper, he hope she'd heard it.

Walking towards the library, Riley decided he would forget what he'd just heard. Riley knew be would have to forget about it, because from what Willow said…well, if he was her he don't think he would tell him either.

A/N: This was a one shot, but I would still really like to hear what you all think so write me and check out my other Buffy story : When all is said and done

Thanks!

Buffy and Angel all the way guys, all the way


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